Review: Mickey ‘n’ Minnie’s Runaway Railway Train

Mickey ‘n’ Minnie’s Runaway Railway opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. We are offering you a complete review of the entire attraction from arrival to exit in our podcast. It gives you details about what’s working, what’s not, and how it is reminiscent of so many other attractions, while being completely different.

The following notes page is a scene by scene outline of our key insights from this attraction, but be sure to check out the podcast for the complete review. You can find our podcast here on Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, MyTuner, and ListenNotes. Be sure to subscribe and share with others!

Here is the complete video:

Let’s break it down section by section:

Arrival

Reminiscent of: The original Disney-MGM Studios.

What Works: It’s a perfect “weenie” at the end of Hollywood Boulevard, especially with the neon lights on.

What’s Not: Not sure what to do with the planter in front of the theater.

Exterior Queue

Reminiscent of: Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood

What Works: Disney Play App is fun–if you know the new TV series. Cast Members helping everyone to queue. You feel you are entering into the theater, rather than a side entrance as before

What’s Not: Ordinary switchback in the first sections. Not entertaining. Slow queue when FastPass is being used. Guests currently can’t ramble through the courtyard as they did in the past to look at foot & handprints of the stars.

Interior Queue

Reminiscent of: The Chinese Theater.

What Works: All of it! Still, this could be even better at Disneyland at the El Capitoon at Disneyland when they make the theater itself toon-like.

What’s Not: Removal of old props, costumes and artifacts that used to exist with The Great Movie Ride.

Pre-Show

Reminiscent of: Get a Horse Mickey Mouse Short and Enchanted Tales with Belle at Magic Kingdom.

What Works: The whole cartoon set up and entering through the movie screen is astonishing.

What’s Not: It has now become a metroplex, instead of one grand theater. Flow of both theaters releasing guests at the same time into the loading area. Minnie kicking Pluto into the trunk and then locking him in the trunk seems less slapstick and more violent.

Loading Area

Reminiscent of: Todd’s Livery Stable in Great Movie Ride.

What Works: The queuing process once inside, along with the entire setup. Beautiful cartoon theming. The train and the ride vehicle concept moves beautifully.

What’s Not: Uncertain about the single rider component. Goofy as the Runnamuck Railroad employee of the month doesn’t have any back story.

The Park

Reminiscent of: “Smile Darn Ya Smile” scene from Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

What Works: Colors, animation, projection style.

What’s Not: So much to see, so little time. The ride needs to slow down.

The Tunnel

Reminiscent of: Gangster scene turn in The Great Movie Ride

What Works: Enclosed intimate space. It connects you to Mickey & Minnie’s story.

What’s Not: Mickey & Minnie animatronic animation. Not sure we want to lose Goofy. “Let’s get that runaway train” does not necessarily enough of a segue to a western desert scene. Nor does it continue as a theme throughout the film.

The Stampede

Reminiscent of: Western scene in America Sings & Home on the Range

What Works: The animation style in this scene.

What’s Not: The scene is random to the entire plot line as it moves from western desert to carnival.

The Carnival

Reminiscent of: Midway Mania

What Works: So much to see, so many details. The walls of the room seem to warp as the twister comes alive.

What’s Not: The segue from the twister coaster to the twister scene.

The Twister

Reminiscent of: Cat in the Hat at Islands of Adventure & Fantasia Sorcerer’s Apprentice scene in The Great Movie Ride.

What’s Works: The size of it in the center of the room is impressive.

What’s Not: Lighting is a miss, and you move too quickly through the scene. It’s not anything as good as Mystic Manor’s cyclone scene. It looks really cheap.

Tropical Isle/Waterfall/Under Sea

Reminiscent of: A mix of Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure with Bedknobs & Broomsticks.

What Works: Just about everything–especially the waterfall. Transitions are really great.

What’s Not: Nothing! You could use another one of these in the attraction. This scene really works!

Storm Basin Into The Big City

Reminiscent of: Roger Rabbit’s Toon Town Spin

What Works: Lots of details, easter eggs and so much to see. Interesting flow from ocean to storm basin to big city.

What’s Not: Not enough time to see it all.

The Dance Studio

Reminiscent of: Luigi’s Rollikin’ Roadsters at Disney California Adventure

What Works: Seeing yourself dance in the mirrors.

What’s Not: No details, no variation. Total waste of scene if you’ve done Luigi’s.

The Factory/Fair

Reminiscent of: Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin at first, Mary Poppins Jolly Holiday scene at night toward the end.

What Works: The transformation from factory into fair. It’s an amazing transformation.

What’s Not: Happens way too fast. Not sure what was the catalyst that changed everything from factory to fair.

Picnic/Return

Reminiscent of: “In Summer” song with Olaf, but at night.

What Works: The Song–Nothing Can Stop Us Now. Cute Mickey fireworks.

What’s Not: Chuuby Bird. It’s not your dad’s Orange Bird.

Unload/Exit

Reminiscent of: The original theater you were in.

What Works: Walking out of the theater like you came in. Merchandise experience

What’s Not: Buzz factor on the train seats–Why not sooner or in other places?

Summary

Reminiscent of: The new Mickey shorts and the best things in so many other attractions and more.

What it’s not reminiscent of: The Great Movie Ride. It is really its own attraction and very different.

What Works: Ride vehicles, animation, setting, color & style. Best dark ride I’ve ever seen. Helping to shave standby line times in other attractions.

What’s Not: Animatronics and lack thereof; character style the amount of empty space; the fact you took out The Great Movie Ride to put it in.

Speaking of The Great Movie Ride, if you still miss that attraction, you can check out 10 things that are really great about it. It’s both a post and podcast.

Lights! Camera! Hollywood!

If you like the heritage and history of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, my book, Disney’s Hollywood Studios: From Show Biz to Your Biz is something to check out. It was written before Toy Story Land and Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, still it’s a “behind-the-camera” look at how Disney creates show biz magic and how you can get your own business ready for its close up. Included are over forty chapters of park history, Disney trivia, and business best practices, including:

• How the experience starts in the parking lot
• A tale of two movie moguls: Walt Disney vs. Louis B. Mayer
• The valuable lessons of “merchantainment”
• Adventures in partnership, with George Lucas, Jim Henson, and Aerosmith
• Hidden secrets of the Tower of Terror, and how Disney exceeds its own high standards

Be sure to get your copy today, available on Amazon!